1976 The first Apple logo was designed by Ronald Wayne. The shows Isaac Newton sitting under a tree with an apple dangling above him. The phrase on the border reads, “Newton… A Mind Forever Voyaging Through Strange Seas of Thought … Alone.”

1976 - 1988 The bitten apple was designed by Rob Janoff so that people know it's an apple and not mistaking it for a tomato. It also referred to geek-speak "byte", to depict a computer company.

1988 - Present Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, and the company was performing poorly. Jobs needed a stronger brand identity, so he commissioned Rob Janoff to clean up the logo using a monochrome color scene. Experimenting with larger logos for better prominence and impact.

Just like humans, logos and corporate identity change. From the day they are born, going through toddlerhood, the growing pains of teenage years and rebellion, through to maturing as respectable adults.

Well… it’s not quite the same, as some logos wither and die, some are gobbled up by their rivals, some get married and produce new little “brandettes”, some remain steadfastly the same, while a few are simply reincarnated and brought back to life. The absolute certainty, however, is that change is inevitable. And in the context of branding, the most critical question brand-owners, brand-builders and brand strategist must ask themselves: Is my brand RELEVANT, and is it still THE CHOSEN ONE?Does my brand still resonate with CONSUMERS, and does it still emanate the same message to our audience (our consumers)?

So here’s an interesting look at at the life journey of logos and corporate identity. I’ll let the images tell the story. You be the judge whether they still carry the same message, capture the same meaning, and uphold a brand promise that “speaks” to each individual consumer.

And let me leave you with a fundamental thought: “A Brand is the EMOTIONAL CONNECTION inside YOUR CUSTOMERS’ HEADS… NOT YOURS!” So if you’re CLUELESS about what your customer think of your Brand…. you’d better RUN and JUMP into Social Media, “listen in” on people’s conversations, and find out whether your Brand is HOT or NOT!!

PS: You (or your Brand) may not like Social Media or you don’t possess a remote interest in it… but guess what? Everyone and their barber (and hairdressers) are already “playing” there… and they’re TALKING ABOUT YOUR BRAND WITHOUT YOUR CONTROL! So be a good sport (to yourself) and go out and play…